If the Brewers are willing to part with a top pitching prospect Will Inman for a middle reliever mediocrity like Scott Linebrink, what would teams be willing to shell out for Jason Isringhausen?
That trade is un-freakin’ believable. I’m starting to think Kevin Towers is an evil genius…except for that David Wells deal he made last year.
SELL! SELL! SELL!
Amaury Marti is currently hitting .424/.509/.633 in 39 games for the Mexican Red Devils of the Mexican League, also known as Liga de Amaury Cazana. Bud Selig ordered the Cardinals to banish him to there, in fear of the major leagues losing competitive balance.
Amaury also refuses to accept the watch curse. He has the power to curse, and the power to bless.
FirstInning.com: St. Louis Cardinals Daily Report
Future Redbirds 
There is absolutely no way we can keep Izzy (if he is willing to go that is). They got a top 100 guy (Inman) and 2 others–1 with great upside. We could very easily land 2 top notch guys. Go to the Indians 1st and check in about Lofgren, Cabrera, Martinez, Marte, Sowers, etc.
Eh,
It doesn’t surprise me that Inman went for “cheap” because not everyone is sold on the idea that he has the ability to be anything special at the MLB level. Seems like exactly the kind of guy that might get dealt at what some people would see as a bargain price. I don’t think he’s a great barometer of what you could get for Izzy, in other words.
While I’m not a “velocity obsessed” evaluator, Inman’s pure MPH is not that great. He’s a command and movement pitcher. While those are skillsets that can play in the majors (Buerhle, Suppan), he may plateau earlier than his A-ball stats would lead us to believe (a la Trey Hearne).
I still like this on Towers part but if Linebrink gets it together and the prospects stall, this may not look so lopsided.
If I’m Walt, I look to move Springer first as Izzy has an option and would probably be a class A free agent (meaning draft picks). Springer is having a good year (better than Linebrink) and I’d move him while I could.
Maybe I’m more sold on Inman then y’all, seems to me like the best prospect the brewers currently have now that braun and gallardo have graduated. he’s only 20, and look at what he’s produced. he may be getting hit around a bit in AA, but he’s still striking out 25% of the batters he’s faced. just seems like way too much for a middle reliever, a team like the indians or braves would perhaps give a king’s ransom for a closer like izzy. and you can’t say his hip won’t fail him again, or that he’ll just flat retire after 08, leaving the cardinals with no compensation. sell while his value is highest, i say.
furthermore, you can’t trade springer. he’s mainly here because of the treatment his autistic son can get in st. louis…he’s going nowhere, understandably. had they not extended franklin, he could’ve been a hot commodity. maybe he still can be, but sounds like they really want to keep him here.
Franklin, Izzy, Springer, and Percival should all be traded if Linebrink can bring Inman.
Linebrink isn’t even that good, or good at all. He has a 4.70 xFIP this season.
To me Inman is about the 45th best prospect in baseball, even though almost all scouts think he only has back of the rotation stuff. His numbers are just too good to look past.
People are forgetting the Brewers are likely judging Linebrink more on his entire body of work than on his mediocre season he has had thus far. Over the past few years, he hasn;t just been an “average” ML – he’s been ridden hard and put away wet for a lot a of games now and has responded with outstanding numbers across the board – great K rates, great control, good ratios, and has shown the ability to handle tight situations. Of all the MRs in baseball, he is one of teh ones most likely to be able to handle a closer role. Franklin, Springer, and the 2007 version of Percival are not going to be considered for those roles, and I can;t see any other GM rating them higher than Linebrink.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d be tickled to get Inman or Jeremy Sowers for Russ Springer…but let’s be realistic….
Linebrink really wasn’t that good last year either though, had a 4.14 xFIP. He has declining peripherals, and for some reason been thought of as a stud reliever for the past couple years. Theres no way what he has done the past 2 years is more important then his career numbers. He plays in the ultimate pitchers park, and wasn’t even a top 4 Padre reliever.
I’m not really a big fan of Jeremy Sowers, mostly because he’s not really that good. If Linebrink can bring Inman, Springer can bring Sowers, but I don’t think Shapiro is as dumb as Melvin, unfortunately.
siddfynch/6 – the Brewers are likely judging Linebrink more on his entire body of work
That’s a terrible way to evaluate relievers. They’re a volatile commodity as is and given Linebrink’s struggles he’s headed for medicority. Towers took him pretty good. Maybe the prospects don’t pan out in the end but as of yesterday, Doug Melvin got beat in that trade.
Shhh/7 – had a 4.14 xFIP
As a general rule, you don’t want to use xFIP for relievers. It doesn’t make sense to regress their HR rate because they don’t have the same statistical norm that starters do over 200 innings. Regular FIP is a better option for relievers. Linebrink’s FIP this year is a 5.64 — I didn’t realize how truly terrible he’s been till I looked that up.
FWIW, a recap of recent trades involving closers:
Check out this TLR quote from today’s STL Post Disp, when asked about the possibility of trades being made. Where does that put us for the future ?? What is this organization thinking ?? Are they looking at the same team and farm system that I am seeing ??
“I don’t think it’s going to be different at all. I think we’re going to win enough to stay alive.”
Just read the M’s are looking for starters… How about Reyes for Wlad the Wmpaler (I think Danup coined that one)? We could even throw in Maroth if they wanted. Think they’d bite?